Though it might have felt slow in arriving, we are now a week into the month of May, and spring finally feels like it is in full swing. The damp, chilly, and sometimes snowy April we experienced is behind us, and many are looking forward to the warmer air and sunny skies that May will bring.
I have been enjoying seeing increasing numbers of buds forming and flowers blooming, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the return of birds to the neighbourhood. From robins to cormorants and everything in between, I’ve been seeing and hearing more and more birds over the past couple of weeks. I find the sound of birds chirping in the early hours of the morning to be a great way to start a day.
This is also the time of year for county and municipal roads and bridges projects to get underway. I am reminded of the old joke that in Ontario there are really just two seasons – winter and construction season, and construction season is now getting underway.
From the filling of potholes to the full reconstruction of some roads, this is the beginning of a busy time for county and municipal governments. While road rehabilitation projects can be frustrating at times for motorists as they often are accompanied by detours or reduced lanes causing delays in our travel, it is all work that must be done, and in fact much more could be done if money were not a consideration. Many millions of dollars will be spent on local roads and bridges in the coming months by both the county and area municipalities, as it is certainly not cheap to keep a road network in suitable condition.
As I mentioned on this page at this time last year, with the warmer temperatures, in addition to the blooming of flowers and many road and bridge projects underway, it is also the time of year in which we see increased speeds on our roads, and increased warnings from police services about obeying speed limits.
Excessive speeds on our roads is not limited to the spring and summer months of course, but we do see a significant increase in speeding incidents during the warm, dry sunny months, and my in-box will no doubt begin seeing increased notices from the OPP about drivers caught travelling at excessive, sometimes mind-blowingly excessive, speeds.
I am sometimes shocked at the speeds reported in those OPP media releases, like one I recall from a couple of years ago, when a 19-year-old from Wasaga Beach was charged after driving in excess of 170 kilometres per hour in an 80 kilometre per hour zone on Highway 26 right here in Meaford. An alarming speed for anyone to be driving on any road or highway, let alone an inexperienced teenager on a two-lane highway in rural Ontario.
So as we embrace the warm, sunny weather to come, be mindful of other motorists: not all of us adhere to posted speed limits, and some motorists in the spring and summer months are just plain reckless.
This is also the time of year when many of us come out of hibernation and spend more time outdoors. From relaxing walks with the dog, to long hikes through the woods, to enjoying time on the water, there is much to do in our neck of the woods once spring arrives.
Many are also now spending plenty of time in their gardens, preparing for the summer to come. Planting and maintaining flowers or vegetable gardens is a relaxing and rewarding pastime that is enjoyed by many, and I am always thankful for all of that work when I am admiring someone’s garden. Gardening not only brings personal joy, it brings joy to those simply passing by.
If you want to combine time outdoors with doing some good for your community, this weekend is the annual Rotary Club of Meaford’s annual ‘Baggy Day’ community clean-up. The clean-up will be held on Saturday, May 10, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Rotary Harbour Pavilion.
Nobody likes to see trash on our sidewalks or in road-side ditches, but we humans can be an inconsiderate bunch, and over the winter months carelessly discarded trash accumulates in our ditches and our parks. From coffee cups to fast food bags, trash can be found everywhere once the winter snow melts away, and springtime community clean-up initiatives are valuable for any community.
Not every coffee cup, newspaper, or food container found on a sidewalk or in a park playground is the result of irresponsible people littering – some of it was in a blue bin at the curb before windy weather blew some of it around, depositing bits of paper and plastic in places we’d rather be neat and tidy. Either way, it must be cleaned up, and we can all be thankful for the team of volunteers that will be scouring the community with trash bags in hand on Saturday.
Another sign that spring is in full swing is that the farmers’ market season is fast approaching, and this year, Meaford’s farmers’ market arrives sooner than normal. While the Meaford Farmers’ Market has traditionally begun its season in the first week of June, this year, due to customer demand, the market is starting three weeks early, beginning on Friday, May 16. The hours and location remain the same, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the harbour pavilion.
One of my favourite things about Meaford’s farmers’ market is that while it is a fantastic place to shop for local food, most often Friday afternoons at the harbour feel like more of a community party than a retail experience. Live music and special exhibits add some extra flair to Meaford’s farmers’ market, and when combined with the many chats you might have with friends and neighbours as you tour the market, it is certainly a special place that brings folks together.
Whatever you enjoy doing now that the spring weather has arrived, and with summer now in our sights, make the most of it, and do it safely. Whether you are on the road, on the water, on the golf course, or in your backyard, be safe, be responsible, and have some fun. Save the consumption of alcohol or other intoxicants for when you return home, not before you get behind the wheel.
We live in chaotic times, and a little time outdoors can certainly help to clear the head of all of that chaos, so enjoy the spring and summer to come – you’ve earned it.
